Not an effort to get sympathy, but I have been having a rough year. All medical in nature, and all of my "problems" have taken a HUGE amount of shop time from me.
Things I have learned, that I now see, I didn't when I was younger.
Watch the smoking, it really isn't good for you. Contrary to what you may think, nobody looks sexy doing it either.
Strong drink can cause issues if you let it get out of hand. I am fortunate here, however I have had good friends who's life it changed in a bad way.
SPF 100 long term is a lot better than the George Hamilton look short term.
Pass along your thoughts of things you have learned, maybe like I am doing, through some rough times. Not to say this is all I have learned. I try to learn something new every day, these lessons are some of the ones that really kicked my butt.
I always liked: "Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."
But seriously the one thing for everyday stuff is don't over do it. Tweaking your back, etc. can lay one up for much longer than splitting the job up over more days or getting extra help.
as for the smoking george im 100% againts it and im not afraid to tell a smoker the health risk there doing them selves. and if there smoke is in my air space, watch out. having lost both parents to cancer and my wife losing both of hers to COPD ill do what i can to get someone off it. our neighbor who is only about 60 smokes non stop from before sunrise till late at night all day long. lungs aren't designed to take that much punishment ! i pray for her ! i do drink but it's about 95% wine these days, which is supposed to have some health benefits, in moderation of course ! ive been very fortunate at the age of 63 having no major illness or surgeries of any kind. knock on wood !
good forum george, thank you.
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
well i failed both of those tony. i was thaught dont be afraid of hard work and thats how ive lived my life, with no regrets. i see todays kids as lazy asses afraid of hard work ! as for help im learning that as i get older. wife always says, call the guy. i always say, I AM THE GUY !!!!! 🤣
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
I seem to ask for help after I throw my back out. Back pain is horrible. Can't sleep right or even get out of bed. Can't forget about the teeth. Dentist isn't one of my favorite people but it's something to keep up on.
I can't ever remember laying out in the Sun to get a tan, but most of my life I both worked and played outdoors at least part of the day, and when warm my usual uniform was shorts and a t shirt. I never was real big about smearing stuff all over my skin, so I didn't do the SPF thing. I wish I had. Found out I have "Merkle Cell Carcinoma" today. I had a lump (all the Docs said it was a cyst) just below my elbow. I've had it for over 10 years, and it never hurt, didn't cause any restriction, a big nothing, just a goofy thing that scared small kids. Nobody, even the Dermatologist suggested cutting it off. In January it doubled in size, and grew a big red bulb in the center of it. I took that to the Doc right away, he quickly did a "punch biopsy" and sent it off. Results came back today.
Unless I am real unlucky with as quick as we started on it, I'll be fine, but it's the fifth kind of cancerous crap they have had to carve off of me because I didn't SPF, or so the books say. Also found out I have a smallish blocked vessel in my heart thanks to eating whatever I wanted all those years, and smoking like a chimney. It was a crappy day medical wise.
Neither will likely kill me, just cost a ton of cash to treat, and for sure keep me out of the shop for a bunch more time. It's hard to spend time in the shop, when you are at a bunch of Doctors, and Hospitals all the time trying to treat the crap trying to kill ya.
I agree Larry, so many sad tales follow that Nicotine trail, but having quit twice in my life I can tell you stopping eating, drinking, or whatever, is cake next to stopping cigs. That Nicotine is one addictive SOB. Now I have heart disease with a big scar on my chest, almost just lost my right leg last month, COPD, and probably a bunch of other crap I don't know I have yet, mostly directly attributed to my 42 years of smoking. Yes I was a dumazz. Started young, thought I was so cool. Ran with the wrong kids, I always swore it was about who you ran with. A bunch of kids who didn't smoke, and you didn't. Of course all my friends were dumb like me, and smoked. 2 of them are dead from it, and many of their parents are too.
Please people take care of yourselves, it's for sure nobody else will do it for you. Well maybe a good Wife, or Family, but they can only suggest, you have to listen.
The "message" may be too late for a lot of our friends here. My hope is some of the younger ones read this and take heart.
amen geroge, my son is one of those dumasses that had the wrong kind of stupid friends and got into that bad habit. he's tried to quit, i think he's now off em, i hope ! once again my friend thank you for having the courage to warn others for your own mistakes in life and the price you now pay. too many are ashamed and dont warn others. i dont know if your confessions and those of others will help, but at least your trying ! thank you brother !!!!
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Now yazall know why my blogs are so long... I keep thinking I'm drafting a letter to my doctor about all my ailments.
At 75, I'd say I was kissed by a Chinaman, however, with all this bloody political correctness, I should install some Triaddetectors on my premises.
As i mentioned in one of my blogs, have yazall had that mechanical gizmo up you bum... you don't need to be old and you can pretend to enjoy it, even though you are asleep.
Another one that most are too proud to accept is apnea... a good CPAP may raise your esteem in SWMBOS books.
In the workshop, hold your breath (or just stop breathing) while cutting MDF.
I went through the rogue galery, and while I saw many "baby faces"... they may turn into "baby faeces" further down the track when all goes to shit... so don't be too proud to queue at your GPs, or sit out those ridiculous waiting times.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Usually I do not ask for help, but try not to overdo the back. Answer, find a way to use leverage, lifts, or simply an easier way to do whatever. As in sheets of plywood, big back destroyers.
A bit of exercise is good, an overdone exercise program is bad. Leads to trouble.
At 86 in 2 months have been fortunate in the health issues. Always worked hard but tried to be smart about it, ala Lazyman.
The smoking I never liked it so never picked up the habit. Cigarettes taste like shit besides making everything around you stink. Never got into chewing tobacco either
it's funny smoking diminishes your sense of taste yet when you watch cooking competitions like hells kitchen how many of the chefs are smokers ! why would you water down something you love so much ?
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
When it comes to health, some things are in the short-term (e.g., safety when working in the shop, being an aware driver) while much is long-term (e.g., diet, exercise) and requires consistency. Physical activity and exercise have always been part of my life (and relate to my profession) so running, cycling, lifting weights, hiking, etc. are all part of the enjoyment in the short-term that provide benefits in the long-term. Having routine check-ups is key to catching concerns early. Seeing colonoscopy brought up - mine was last week and had another polyp removed. Thankfully benign but, if left, that type of cell growth can become cancerous. So, although two days of liquid diet plus the "prep" wasn't any fun, having the test done proved, once again, to be so important (and no sedation so I was able to watch the screen as the doctor did the removal of the tissue - very interesting).
A story on promoting "no smoking" - when I was a kid, my dad placed an auto magazine on the kitchen table, open to a nice new car. He asked my brother and I if we would like to be able to own a car like that some day. Our family wasn't well-off so the thought of owning a shiny sports car was pretty appealing. With both of us in agreement that we would like to be able to buy a new car like that, my dad proceeded to show how NOT smoking would save us $$ considering the cost of a pack of cigarettes, etc. Neither my brother nor I are or were smokers!! Although health implications are surely there, this approach really was so effective, and quite clever on my dad's part to bring it around to something very tangible.
The alternative is poopin into a bag attached to your belly. Lesser of 2 evils.
Unfortunately some wait just that tad too long. I speak from experience.
Corelz125 replied about 3 hours ago The smoking I never liked it so never picked up the habit. Cigarettes taste like shit besides making everything around you stink. Never got into chewing tobacco either
Looks like someone never tries snuff... that's the dark equivalent to the white stuff you shove up your nose. Still smell like shit, but it's not diluted on the way to the nostril.
Pottz replied about 2 hours ago it's funny smoking diminishes your sense of taste yet when you watch cooking competitions like hells kitchen how many of the chefs are smokers ! why would you water down something you love so much ?
After my 90 a day (albeit the lest nicotine content... that's why so many to get the fix... and the habit), I had to flovour my food with chilli. Gave up smoking, cold turkey, but only after being addicted to chilli... now if it doesn't have the red and the seeds I don't eat... lucky vino is red.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
